1. Aqua’s Crystal Structure

Aquamarine has a very distinctive crystal structure with its long hexagonal shape. When we’re in Africa sorting through mixed bags of rough minerals, Aquamarine can be spotted from 5 feet away!

2. Aqua’s Color

“Aquamarine” is Latin for “sea water,” aptly named for its characteristic color. However, Aqua, like sea water, can appear more blue or more green, depending on the mood of the element Iron which colors it! The most desirable color for Aquamarine is a medium toned pastel blue with just a hint of green. Usually, Aquamarines’s color will grow more intense in larger gems.

3. Aqua’s Folklore

Aquamarine is the subject of many myths and legends, promising insight and foresight to the gem’s wearers. It has long been famed for its healing powers over a wide variety of illnesses…if one simply touches Aquamarine to water before drinking. To add to Aqua’s awesomeness, it is reputed to make its wearer unconquerable, amiable, and intellectual!

Why Roger Loves Aqua

“From a faceting perspective, Aquamarine is unique in that it likes to be faceted. It takes a great polish really quickly, almost like it can’t wait to shine! Add to that is its fabulous water-like transparency and crystal-like clarity, and we know why Aqua has been cherished for centuries. Many gems are loved most highly by those who claim it as their birthstone, but Aquamarine seems to have a broad and devoted following from those born in every month of the year!”
– Roger

]]>https://thekingsjewelers.wordpress.com/2018/03/07/a-case-for-awesome-aqua/feed/01803004AquamarineAsscher9_34ct_8016mcconnellandsonIMG_3982.JPGIMG_3983.JPGIMG_3984.JPGIMG_3955.jpg1801088AquaClassicEmCut14_15ct_7804.jpg1803004AquamarineAsscher9_34ct_8016.jpg1610087AquamarineCush12_00ct_3765.jpgMarch’s birthstone is a cool plunge into a refreshing pool!https://thekingsjewelers.wordpress.com/2016/03/16/marchs-birthstone-is-a-cool-plunge-into-a-refreshing-pool/
https://thekingsjewelers.wordpress.com/2016/03/16/marchs-birthstone-is-a-cool-plunge-into-a-refreshing-pool/#respondWed, 16 Mar 2016 10:00:14 +0000http://thekingsjewelers.wordpress.com/?p=86Continue Reading →]]>Aquamarine is the birthstone for March and the gem of the 19th wedding anniversary. The name aquamarine is derived from the Latin word aqua, meaning water, and marina, meaning the sea. This gemstone was believed to protect sailors, as well as to guarantee a safe voyage. The serene color of aquamarine is said to cool the temper, allowing the wearer to remain calm and levelheaded. Its pale, cool color beautifully complements spring and summer wardrobes. Aquamarine is most often light in tone and ranges from greenish blue to blue-green; the color usually is more intense in larger stones. This gemstone is mined mainly in Brazil, but also is found in Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan, and Mozambique.

Famous Aquamarines

The Hirsch Aquamarine is an enormous 109.92 carat fancy emerald-cut gem. It is 100% natural, free of any heating or other color enhancing treatments as is so common in aquamarines. The color is a perfect aquatic blue as rich as the stone’s wealthy namesake. The luster of this gem is absolutely amazing. In recent history, a rumor began circulating that the table facet of the Hirsch Aquamarine had been scratched. However, that was nothing more than urban legend as anyone who has personally inspected the stone can verify for themselves. the House of Louis XV has created an exquisite pendant by intricately appointing the stone with 118 diamonds set in 18K white gold.

The Dom Pedro Aquamarine was mined from a Brazilian pegmatite in the late 1980s, and was named for Brazil’s first two emperors, Dom Pedro Primeiro and his son, Dom Pedro Segundo. Before cutting, the portion of the beryl crystal from which the obelisk-shaped gem was fashioned measured 23.25 inches long and weighed nearly 60 pounds. The obelisk, designed by world-renowned gem artist Bernd Munsteiner, stands 14 inches tall, measures 4 inches across the base and weighs in at 10,363 carats or 4.6 pounds. These impressive dimensions render the Dom Pedro the largest cut-and-polished gem aquamarine known. A pattern of tapering “negative cuts” faceted into the reverse faces of the sea-blue obelisk serves to reflect the light within the gem, giving the piece surprising brightness and sparkle. With the proper lighting, this remarkable sculpture appears to be illuminated from within.

Sources: American Gem Society and Gemological Institute of America, World Famous Gems and the Smithsonian.

]]>https://thekingsjewelers.wordpress.com/2016/03/16/marchs-birthstone-is-a-cool-plunge-into-a-refreshing-pool/feed/0mcconnellandsonAquamarine_GIA_2HIRSCH_aquamarineDomPedroAquamarineThe Grandness of Garnet – January’s birthstonehttps://thekingsjewelers.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/the-grandness-of-garnet-januarys-birthstone/
https://thekingsjewelers.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/the-grandness-of-garnet-januarys-birthstone/#respondThu, 21 Jan 2016 22:29:19 +0000http://thekingsjewelers.wordpress.com/?p=81Continue Reading →]]>Garnet is the birthstone for January and the gemstone for the second anniversary – signifying eternal friendship and trust. The name “garnet” is derived from the word granatum, meaning “seed”, and is called so because of the gemstone’s resemblance to a pomegranate seed. Garnet is the name of a group of minerals that comes in a rainbow of colors, from the deep red of the pyrope garnet to the vibrant green of tsavorites.

Thousands of years ago, red garnet necklaces adorned the necks of Egypt’s pharaohs, and were entombed with their mummified corpses as prized possessions for the afterlife. In ancient Rome, red garnets were among the most widely traded gems. Signet rings with carved garnets were used to stamp the wax that secured important documents. In the Middle Ages (about 475 to 1450 AD), red garnet was favored by clergy and nobility. Red garnet’s availability increased with the discovery of the famous Bohemian garnet deposits in central Europe around 1500. This source became the nucleus of a regional jewelry industry that reached its peak in the late 1800s. Today, the most important sources for garnet are Africa, Sri Lanka, and India.

Garnets are a set of closely related minerals that form a group, resulting in gemstones in almost every color. Red garnets have a long history, but modern gem buyers can pick from a rich palette of garnet colors: greens, oranges, pinkish oranges, deeply saturated purplish reds, and even some blues. Red garnet is one of the most common and widespread of gems, found in metamorphic rocks (which are rocks altered by heat and pressure) on every continent. But not all garnets are as abundant as the red ones. A green garnet, tsavorite, also occurs in metamorphic rocks, but it’s rarer because it needs unusual rock chemistries and special conditions to form. Demantoid is a rare and famous green garnet, spessartine (also called spessartite) is an orange garnet, and rhodolite is a beautiful purple-red garnet. Garnets can even exhibit the color-change phenomenon similar to the rare gemstone alexandrite.

At The King’s Jewelers, we are proud to have one of the best selections of garnets and colored gemstones in Northern California. I invite you to come in and experience this grand gemstone firsthand.

Sources: Gemological Institute of America and the American Gem Society

A young man drives the love of his life to a romantic hillside location. Since they always exchanged gifts on this day, she was not expecting anything unusual when a small wrapped box was revealed. She opened it to find a signet ring, but the wrong initials were engraved on it. She was a little confused until he told her to read the inscription on the inside of the ring – “Will you marry me?” Of course, the initials were her “initials-to-be” if her answer was yes. They came happily the next day to pick out a diamond engagement ring.

As the above illustrates, there are some marriage proposals that are unique, memorable, and a story worth sharing. Any marriage proposal is special and certainly remembered by the involved couple. But in case you are looking for something a little different, we thought we could inspire you with a few more proposal ideas-

Propose where your first date occurred, or where you first met – park, restaurant, campus, library, work, etc. It is a great way to tie in the past to where you are now and where your lives together are going.

Walk or drive to one of the highest elevated locations you can find – Mt. Diablo, Yosemite, etc… As you to look out at the amazing view below, tell her you want to “lay the world at her feet”. How could she say “no”?

Have her plan a day trip to her own liking – aka have her plan her own proposal. Gently suggest a couple of ideas so it will be somewhere special. Once you find out the planned stops, wait for an opportune moment to pop the question.

Send your sweetie on a treasure hunt. Start with a clue at home. Then send him or her on a tour of your favorite spots – all over town or just around the house. When he or she gets to the last hint, the treasure should be you offering the ring. No other clues are necessary!

Food is a tempting addition to any successful proposal! Spell out “Will you marry me?” in M&Ms, jellybeans, or Hershey’s Kisses on the table. Send your loved one in to read it; when they say yes, you can toast your future with a mutual sugar rush!

Propose in a different language or lots of different languages – starting with French, the language of love.

]]>https://thekingsjewelers.wordpress.com/2015/11/25/great-ways-to-pop-the-question-this-christmas/feed/037.910078 -122.06518237.910078-122.065182poppingthequestionmcconnellandsonWelcome to The King’s Jewelers’ Blog!https://thekingsjewelers.wordpress.com/2015/10/15/welcome-to-the-kings-jewelers-blog/
https://thekingsjewelers.wordpress.com/2015/10/15/welcome-to-the-kings-jewelers-blog/#respondThu, 15 Oct 2015 19:08:27 +0000http://thekingsjewelers.wordpress.com/?p=62Continue Reading →]]>We are very excited to use this venue to provide you with the latest news, products and innovations from The King’s Jewelers – such as the new 3D technology we’re bringing to custom jewelry design!

Part futuristic movie, part cool video game, this new 3D computer-aided method of making jewelry is becoming the hottest trend in custom jewelry. It’s so easy and so very fun! Working with our trained staff, you first select a starting point design from thousands of options. Then using the 3D design software, you have creative control to customize every detail of the jewelry from stone size, shape, and color to extensive design changes. Once you are satisfied, we will precision build the jewelry just for you from the computer file. You then receive a totally unique, one-of-a-kind piece that you helped create.

It’s a great way to express your individuality and turn your lunch hour into an inspired burst of creativity! Visit The King’s Jewelers to design your masterpiece today!